Mountain Kid Messenger

Welcome to the new year and our Winter season of snow. There isn't much out there at our town elevations so far in 2025. Even our higher Chester and Portola communities are lean, as the forecast for the first few weeks is all sun. Stay tuned, as Winter is like all of nature, unpredictable at times and always surprising. The lack of snow also creates access opportunities so that gear is less of an equity challenge for you and your Mountain Kids. Take full advantage! and yet, our mountain range, la Sierra Nevada, means "Snowy Mountain". Even the Mountain Maidu name for Lassen Peak is Kohm Yamani, "Snow Mountain". Snow is of course still up there on our peaks and ridges and provides an unmistakable backdrop to mountain life.

While our primary recreational prop, Winter mountain Snow, leads to our Spring river flow, the Winter season is about far more than snow. I want to remind you all that SnowSchool is our best, curated local Outdoor Core Winter resource. Each Grade Level Outdoor Core Folder and the SnowSchool links below contain a series of lessons that you can use in the weeks ahead. This is in addition to the 36 week Outdoor Core Curriculum that guides you through twelve 5E lessons exploring our hardiest season. These also acknowledge that in Winter, our Kindergarten Garden has been put to bed, our 1st Grade pollinators are in diapause, and our 2nd Grade herps are in brumation, all providing a natural rest period for the primary grades. Still, keep your eyes and ears peeled as the unseasonably warmer weather can trick flora and fauna alike. It is always best to take each Plumas Day as it comes. You and your kids may discover something that has never been seen or heard before.

Snowshoes help Winter travel when the conditions call for it. When we finally do get some accumulation at and around school, to support your Winter adventures we have a class set of snowshoes for little feet and a class set for bigger feet. Reach out if you would like to borrow them. Be aware that a group snowshoe outing requires some wrangling and often with our "Sierra Cement" heavier snow, just venturing out in snow boots are the way to go. It all depends on the depth and density of the fresh, sinkable snowpack, and whether we have snow at all.

Winter began back at the Solstice, but really comes into focus in Outdoor Core in January. January comes from Janus, the Roman God of Beginnings, but also the God of Gates and Doorways. So while the Roman God can be kept out of it, honor this calendar year beginning by heading out of your classroom doorway onto the campus or beyond the school gate to our wonderful Plumas Outdoors. It is a wonderful 2025 New Year Resolution! Keep your weekly habits simple and consistent. Whether the winter phenomenon of interest is an icicle, snowflakes, bird call, or tracks in the snow, Plumas County has it going on as long as you take the time to go out.

January is also National Mentoring Month. I know a lot of you do Buddy's between upper and lower grades. This would be a good motivation to get the buddies together for snow reasons.

This Mountain Kid Messenger Winter 2025 Edition is intended to be a fresh and timely breakdown of the observable phenomena occurring locally that tie to each of your grade levels, highlight and celebrate local learning and fun from the field, and share timely resources.

Time for S'more Outdoor Core!

Feather River Land Trust (FRLT) is the sponsor of Learning Landscapes. The idea that proximity (nearby) would support frequency (more often) led to the conservation of outdoor sites adjacent to your school that you can walk to with your class. Just 10-15 minutes away means regular field trips all year long. No big budgets or buses required. Supporting each school with a quality outdoor place every day of the school year along with field kits and other resources has made a great difference, and Learning Landscapes set the foundation for Outdoor Core. We acknowledge FRLT and the support they provide year after year, in perpetuity, with no strings attached. There are many resources on their website highlighting our region and your Learning Landscape.

31 days in the new year that fit into your January or almost every other month of 2025, that give you and easy starting point for that new moment outside to be felt and that blank journal page waiting to be filled!

Mystery Science is a resource to supplement our local Outdoor Core Adventures as well as support physical science coverage that our place-based studies do not cover sufficiently. Start here on their home page but dive in from there. A lot of good mysteries that fit our seasonal celebration. All materials are available in Spanish.

Mystery Science Home Page

Shared Drive

Follow the link to the PUSD Google Drive's Kindergarten Outdoor Core Shared Drive. These are your digital curriculum resources.

NEW 36 Week Outdoor Core Curriculum

In your Outdoor Core Shared Drive you will find a new 36 week curriculum guide to better walk you and your Mountain Kids through the Plumas County seasons of our Outdoor Core year. See the linked title above.

Outdoor Core Video Resources

On the PUSD Website and YouTube Channel live the video resources I have created and curated in recent years. Follow the link to get to the main page and then select your grade level.

Winter Weather Watch

While the garden sleeps, the weather keeps happening, every moment of every day. This is wonderful daily phenomena for you and your Mountain Kids to always explore. It also can help them to track the patterns and changes that will cause the garden to eventually rest and get ready to wake up in the Spring. This is a daily opportunity to explore and observe. Those inches of snow on the ground will support our plants through the year. Keep it simple. Hot, warm, cool, cold, and freezing. Windy. Cloudy. Wet. Rain, hail, sleet, graupel, and snow. Consider partnering with the 3rd or 6th grade who also study weather.

Mountain Kids Cousins

Around the world there are other kids who are venturing out and about just like our own little Mountain Kids. Cousins across the Atlantic and northward to Scandinavia are enrolled in Forest Kindergarten in Finland where they spend all day outside, everyday, including the Winter. Our southern cousins across the Pacific enrolled in Australia's Bush Kinder programs are doing wonderful learning and living "Down Under". Our Mountain Kids are capable of much and are part of a larger movement in both hemispheres.

Winter Wear

TK-K is where Mountain Kids start to learn good habits for the years ahead. Winter is our most risky season. The way we hack that risk is knowing how to take care of ourselves from head to toe. This can be fun learning and use the graphic above to look at each part - Head (beanie), Body (layers), Toe (boots). There is more to it but simple is best.

Let's Go! Tracks in the Snow - this video is a read out loud introducing kids to tracks in the snow one of the most enjoyable activities for Mountain Kids in the snowy winter. The easiest three questions are - Who left this track? Where is it going? What is it doing? I have made many videos related to Winter tracks and tracking. Go to your video resources above. Here's one more video, although not as Winter focused Animated Tracking Video

Icicles

Finally the snow. And snow of roofs mean icicles. Icicles are a perfect phenomenon in the winter and most kids love them. They are beautiful, magical, even mysterious. They are also somewhat edible although those coming off of roofs and other natural environments are not safe to lick for Mountain Kids. Why would you want a roof icicle when you can have a tree icicle.

So what makes an icicle form? Two videos you can use are below.

Video 1 is a time lapse clip of icicles forming.

Video 2 is a homegrown video that begins with icicles but moves into other areas on snowy, winter exploration

Shared Drive

Follow the link to the PUSD Google Drive's First Grade Outdoor Core Shared Drive. These are your digital curriculum resources.

NEW 36 Week Outdoor Core Curriculum

In your Outdoor Core Shared Drive you will find a new 36 week curriculum guide to better walk you and your Mountain Kids through the Plumas County seasons of our Outdoor Core year. See the linked title above.

Outdoor Core Video Resources

On the PUSD Website and YouTube Channel live the video resources I have created and curated in recent years. Follow the link to get to the main page and then select your grade level.

Diapause

I saw them all the way to Thanksgiving...but suddenly not a buzz to be heard!

When we stop seeing our invertebrate friends it is because the conditions make it too difficult. We can put on a coat and turn up the heat but they can't. To survive our Plumas County Winter everyone who didn't migrate has to hibernate. Diapause is the scientific name for Insect hibernation. simply, they find a place below the first line to wait out the cold. Make sure your kids have Diapause in their vocabulary.

Springtails

Not every invertebrate is in diapause right now. Springtails are global, 4-season jumping insects. Sometimes they are called snow fleas but that is largely do to their very small size and their more visible appearance in Winter. They are with us in the winter due to their small size and an "anti-freeze" chemical in their body that helps them to get by when it gets cold. They are so small and dark that they would be missed altogether if it were not for the snow, that provides a white backdrop for their dark bodies. Next time it snows and then warms a little, look for small little dots on the snow...Springtails.This video is a good way to introduce

Astronomy

The Full Wolf Moon on January 13th is not very invertebrate focused but the reason for the howling wolf is that they are hungry and Winter is a tough season for everyone. They also know that the daylight is growing and so they are howling for hunger and with hope for the Spring. We can all relate, even our little friends below the ground.

The Full Worm Moon on March 14 fits better with our Invertebrate theme. Not only will it be a full moon but we will also have a Lunar Eclipse! When this happens they call it a "blood moon" due to the reddish hue of the darkened moon. It will be a homework assignment but it will be safe viewing with the lake eye as long as kids can stay awake until 9:00pm.

Remember that astronomy for first grade is a simple thing. The sun and the moon are our two big objects in the sky and getting to know them as we see them (never look directly at the sun of course) is just about observing and wondering. A year is how long it takes to travel around the sun. A month is essentially a full cycle of the moon, from new to full and back. And everyday the sun and moon rise and set to our eyes but change just a little. The Mystery Science Spinning Sky Unit also has new lessons to support Sun & Shadows and Moon & Stars.

The sun angle is one of the easiest observable phenomenon in astronomy. Since we went on Winter Break the sun angle in the sky has changed. It is slowly climbing higher and higher in the sky. In the Winter it is low. When we reach summer, it will be overhead. The easiest way to share this scientific phenomenon is using shadows. In the winter, shadows are long, reaching far to the north. Use the tetherball pole, the basketball post, or just the roofline on the north side of a building. Use chalk and mark where the shadow stops at a certain time of the day, and then do it again and again each week. It is amazing and normally missed.

Another way to explore this is to go outside at a specific time closer to the middle of the day, and measure each Mountain Kid's shadow. Also measuring how tall they are is another good measurement to do. This is a fun and personal way to use measuring and math skills. This could be done through the year each month to measure changes. They can track the change of their own height and growth, and track the change of the sun and the shadows they make.

Shared Drive

Follow the link to the PUSD Google Drive's Second Grade Outdoor Core Shared Drive. These are our digital curriculum resources.

NEW 36 Week Outdoor Core Curriculum

In your Outdoor Core Shared Drive you will find a new 36 week curriculum guide to better walk you and your Mountain Kids through the Plumas County seasons of our Outdoor Core year. See the linked title above.

Outdoor Core Video Resources

On the PUSD Website and YouTube Channel live the video resources I have created and curated in recent years. Follow the link to get to the main page and then select your grade level.

Brumation

I heard a frog singing on December 30th. It happened the same way last year, but I was still surprised. With the new month and year and finally snow, it is now silence. Our herps are cold-blooded and the changing temps of late will move them from outside life to inside hibernation. Herp hibernation is called Brumation. If you haven't yet introduced this important word to your Mountain Kids, please do so. It will be the most important Herp word for the Winter months. This is a video I shared in the past that gives a good breakdown of how Brumation differs from Hibernation.

Winter Super Powers of Herps

While most herps go into that winter hiding and brumation, some have special abilities that allow them to survive winter. This Mystery Science Mini Lesson shares the abilities of Wood Frogs (aka the frogcicle) and some turtle species (butt breathing) that help them to survive the freezing cold of winter.

Water in Winter

Water has 3 states: gas, liquid, and solid. In nature, water in winter is about solid learning. Snow and Ice, two great joys for Mountain Kids will dominate the weeks and months ahead. Below is a starting point to explore the magic hanging from those tree boughs and roof eaves.

Icicles

Now that we are getting some storms you can slip in some icy education. Icicles are a perfect phenomenon in the winter and most kids love them. They are beautiful, magical, even mysterious. They are also somewhat edible although those coming off of roofs and other natural environments are not safe to lick for Mountain Kids. Why would you want a roof icicle when you can have a tree icicle.

So what makes an icicle form? Two videos you can use are below.

Video 1 is a time lapse clip of icicles forming.

Video 2 is a homegrown video that begins with icicles but moves into other areas on snowy, winter exploration

Shared Drive

Follow the link to the PUSD Google Drive's Third Grade Outdoor Core Shared Drive. These are your digital curriculum resources.

NEW 36 Week Outdoor Core Curriculum

In your Outdoor Core Shared Drive you will find a new 36 week curriculum guide to better walk you and your Mountain Kids through the Plumas County seasons of our Outdoor Core year. See the link below.

Outdoor Core Video Resources

On the PUSD Website and YouTube Channel live the video resources I have created and curated in recent years. Follow the link to get to the main page and then select your grade level.

Winter Weather Watch

The weather keeps happening, every moment of every day. This is a wonderful daily phenomena for you and your Mountain Kids to always explore. It also can help them to track the patterns and changes that will cause the garden to eventually rest and get ready to wake up in the Spring. This is a daily opportunity to explore and observe. Those inches of snow on the ground will support our plants through the year that ultimately support our Mammals. Keep it simple. Hot, warm, cool, cold, and freezing. Windy. Cloudy. Wet. Rain, hail, sleet, graupel, and snow. Track the high and low temps, precipitation, and wind. Consider partnering with the Kindergarten or 6th grade who also study weather.

Mammals in Winter

Our mammals play with physical and behavioral changes to survive and even thrive in the winter. The strategies of adaptation, hibernation, and migration all play a part although our mammals don't hibernate all winter like the cartoons would offer. Most of our mammals slow down and will sleep for different lengths of time. Watch to see if you can observe some of these changes from the campus, to the years at home.

This Mystery Science Lesson on hibernation is generalized but applies to our Black Bears.

Tracking

My single favorite activity for Winter science is tracking. These are the stories in snow. Following tracks lets you explore and discover every single mammal species that is out and about on your campus and Learning Landscape. Who left the track. Was the mammal walking or running. Where was your mammal coming and going? Along the trails there are comedies and dramas that unfold and all you need is curiosity, layers, and boots. I also have snowshoes that you can borrow if your school does not have them. Let me know.

Here are some tracking videos of value on YouTube

Tracking Video 1 - Naturalist at a Park - Look at a Squirrel and Rabbit - (3:40)

Tracking Video 2 - Intro Lesson on the 6 Ss of Tracking with an Outdoor Educator (3:49)

Tracking Video 3 - In the Field with a Professional Tracker (8:13)

Tracking Video 4 - This one is animated, and about tracking generally (4:52)

Full Wolf Moon

On January 13th we will have the Full Wolf Moon. With multiple wolf packs in Plumas County this is a local phenomenon. The name for the moon comes from the hunger calls of wolves in January. This is the heart of Winter and prey is hard to come by for an apex predator. Prey is often more scarce and hunting is more difficult. Still, their social and physical adaptations, the ability to hunt in pack helps, and their large paws do better than deer, elk, and pronghorn hoofed feet. Celebrate one of our top carnivores and predators when the full moon arrives.

Mammal Article(s)

I shared these previously, but if you haven't dipped into them they are good articles.

Wolves are returning... While focused on Colorado, the dilemma is the same in California. Wolves are returning, following elk (food) but is there enough room (space) for them to thrive. Our Lassen/Plumas Region has two packs but a lot has changed since wolves use to roam here.

Wolverine Scene One of our most threatened mammals thrives in cold, wintery climates. These are changing and the threat is growing.

Weather Watch

Weather is a daily and even minute by minute phenomenon and an important part of the 3rd grade year. Weather is always happening in it's various ways and so you can study it anytime and anywhere. Just to remind some of the easiest and valuable weather phenomena

• Temperatures (High & Low)
• Wind (Direction & Speed)
• Precipitation (Amount& Type)
• Humidity (The relationship between temperature and humidity)

There are more but these are the quick ones. And remember when you look up the weather forecast, those meteorologists are faraway forecasters. We get to check their accuracy here on the frozen ground of Winter (our coldest month)

Icicles

Finally some wet and cold weather to bring us some icy education. Icicles are a perfect phenomenon in the winter and most kids love them. They are beautiful, magical, even mysterious. They are also somewhat edible although those coming off of roofs and other natural environments are not safe to lick for Mountain Kids. While harder to come by, why would you want a roof icicle when you can have a tree icicle. Our first storm of the new year was perfect for 'cicle growing! A great nature journaling session awaits right at the roof line of your classroom!

So what makes an icicle form? Two videos you can use are below.

Video 1 is a time lapse clip of icicles forming.

Video 2 is a homegrown video that begins with icicles but moves into other areas on snowy, winter exploration

Shared Drive

Follow the link to the PUSD Google Drive's Fourth Grade Outdoor Core Shared Drive. These are your digital curriculum resources.

NEW 36 Week Outdoor Core Curriculum

In your Outdoor Core Shared Drive you will find a new 36 week curriculum guide to better walk you and your Mountain Kids through the Plumas County seasons of our Outdoor Core year. See the link below.

Outdoor Core Video Resources

On the PUSD Website and YouTube Channel live the video resources I have created and curated in recent years. Follow the link to get to the main page and then select your grade level.

Field Trips

Field trips are in your hands to request but I will arrange any of the them. Besides the Salmon trip to Oroville in October and the Fish Day with Amber in May, below is a list of options. Quincy is taking advantage of many.

• Feather River Canyon Fish & Dams
• Belden Quest - History Treasure Hunt in the FR canyon
• FRC Hatchery - We don't have to go to Oroville to visit a hatchery. Stay local. Learn local.

Feather River Trout Unlimited

The amazing volunteers of FR Trout Unlimited are here for you again. This partnership is a wonderful part of your year as your kids get to learn from real local scientists and experienced anglers in the region. They also bring our local Mountain Maidu into your year. Most of you know Cindy Noble and the other volunteers from FRTU well. The name-link will take you to her email address. They will connect you to other local fish folks as needed. This year your immediate coordinator contacts are

• Chester & Greenville - Dean Growdon
• Portola & Quincy - Casey Holland

Tracking Changes Along the River

We can't exactly experience the changes that our submerged Trout friends go through, but the changes we can observe along the riparian area ripple above and below the water's surface. The changing leaves and their abscission (when they fall off) are a major change. The shade of the broad-leaved trees and shrubs along our rivers and creeks kept the water cool through the hot summer. And yet as we move toward winter that is no longer as important and ironically these same trees and shrubs shed their leaves to keep a little more sun shining through.

CA State Parks Adventure Pass

This is a great Christmas Present for your students. For several years California Sate Parks are offering the Adventure Pass for FREE to every California 4th grader. While Plumas Eureka is our only local state park (and one of my favorite) within a day are many more. Click on the link and share with every student and their family. The process is simple. A parent or guardian goes to www.ReserveCalifornia.com or they can call (800) 444-7275. The third option is to go to the nearest state park with a sales office. The closest to us is in Truckee at the Donner Visitor Center.

Shared Drive

Follow the link to the PUSD Google Drive's Fifth Grade Outdoor Core Shared Drive. These are your digital curriculum resources.

NEW 36 Week Outdoor Core Curriculum

In your Outdoor Core Shared Drive you will find a new 36 week curriculum guide to better walk you and your Mountain Kids through the Plumas County seasons of our Outdoor Core year. See the link below.

Outdoor Core Video Resources

On the PUSD Website and YouTube Channel live the video resources I have created and curated in recent years. Follow the link to get to the main page and then select your grade level.

Nest Mapping

Deciduous trees have lost their leaves, revealing the nests of the past year. Of course no one is using the nests in Winter but nests are often rebuilt in the Spring. This phenomenon alone is a worthy exploration. Map the nests. Note the different kinds and designs and how high they are located. Remember to record the who, what, where, and when.

Great Backyard Bird Count

This is not until February 14-17, 2025 but preparing through January for the local Winter birds helps this to be successful. Normally this includes a school day but we have Friday the 14th flagged for a closure day. I would encourage you to still do a class count on February 13th as it still fits the timing to be of scientific value for our local Audubon Society chapter. Your Mountain Kids can each do a homework assignment in their own backyards. The linked title above takes you to the homepage with all resources. I want every 5th grade to participate. It literally can be a 5 minute point count so no excuse to not join in. Reach out to Mikayla, Liz, or me if you need support.

Exploring Bird Anatomy

Build Your Bird - Here is a great Cornell tool to explore bird anatomy. From feathers to skeleton this is a very cool tool and I guarantee your Mountain Kids will enjoy this.

Rename is the Game - For the Birds

I was fairly surprised to hear that the American Ornithological Society has made a major and historical announcement. They will be renaming dozens of birds that had been previously named for people. There is more to it than that and the article/piece will fill in the details. The benefit is that the new names will be all about the birds. Our Mountain Kids may get the chance to be a part of the renaming so stay tuned. BTW this was considered to be the biggest bird news in 2024.

Plumas Audubon Society (PAS)

PAS adds a lot of value to what you do as a 5th grade teacher. The PAS link above will lead you to the PEEP Curriculum, a core resources for our Outdoor Core year. PAS and their coordinator rock star Mikayla Eager are waiting to hear from you. Reach out to Mikayla or use the following scheduling link to get on her calendar.

Astronomy

You study more than birds in 5th grade. We do like to bundle our science learning so everything from birds migrating using the stars to constellations named for stars are easy connection points. The three dominant Winter constellations - Orion, Taurus, and The Pleiades - should be known by every Mountain Kid. And they line up perfectly in the night sky. Right now they actually are led across the sky by Jupiter.

Beyond that, the daily phenomena of changing length of light and night each day marked by sunrise and sunset times, and the lunar phase changes are access points to get the kids getting down with looking up. And our light is starting to grow toward the Summer Solstice. Since we went on break at the Solstice on 12/21 we have added 10 minutes of light to the 24 hour day. That will continue through Winter until the Spring Equinox and first day of Spring on March 20, 2025. Our actual Plumas Spring Equinox is March 17th, the day we will have 12 hours of light and 12 hours of night.

Winter Meteor Shower, Conjunctions & an Eclipse

• Quadrantid Meteor Shower: December 26 - January 16
  
• Venus Bright in the West all Winter
• Mars & Moon Conjunction: January 13
• Venus & Saturn Conjunction: January 17-18
• Spica and Moon Conjunction: February 1
• Jupiter & Moon Kissing Conjunction: February 14
• Venus Brightest of 2025: February 19
• Mars & Venus Conjunction: February 22
• Total "Blood Moon" Lunar Eclipse: March 14
• Spring Equinox: March 20

Shared Drive

Follow the link to the PUSD Google Drive's Sixth Grade Outdoor Core Shared Drive. These are your digital curriculum resources.

NEW 36 Week Outdoor Core Curriculum

In your Outdoor Core Shared Drive you will find a new 36 week curriculum guide to better walk you and your Mountain Kids through the Plumas County seasons of our Outdoor Core year. See the link below.

Outdoor Core Video Resources

On the PUSD Website and YouTube Channel live the video resources I have created and curated in recent years. Follow the link to get to the main page and then select your grade level.

Wet Winter Arriveth

It has been a solid Winter thus far. We have almost 4' of snow up high. That equates to 18" of snow water sitting on most of our peaks and ridges. Of course it all depends on which peak and ridge but on Spanish Peak and many near 7,000 feet it is true. And of course that is 18 inches... and counting.

We have SnowSchool to help support our work. Spend some time with the 6th Grade SnowSchool resource and the 36 Week Outdoor Core Curriculum which maps 12 weeks of Winter-centered Curriculum.

The Snowpack Prediction Contest is off to a strong start with predictions in from all sites but one. Thanks. Now is the opportunity to track the pack! This should happen weekly but really ideal to look at changes that come with each Winter storm. The relationship between weather precipitation, snowpack accumulation, river flow, and reservoir storage in Oroville is a perfect cause and effect study.

Snow - Flow - O

Tracking these winter storms and weather events is a natural, and weekly, if not daily, opportunity. Remember... "The Weather Blow brings Mountain Snow that becomes River Flow and the precious H20 that fills the Great O (Oroville) and helps Ag Crops to Grow." Links to the inches of snowpack, the CFS of local rivers, and the acre feet filling Lake Oroville are linked below:

Mountain Snow

River Flow

Reservoir O

The Desert Research Institute's Stories in Snow snowflake monitoring is another quality part of the many phenomena that fill the season.

Astronomy

January means that the light is growing and the night is waning with each passing 24 hour day. Be sure the kids noted the post Winter Break shift that of course began at the Solstice. Ten more m minutes of light since we went on break. Remember, that Solstice literally translates as "sun stands still". Even the cave kids understood that. Make sure our Mountain Kids are in tune and we proceed toward the Summer Solstice in June. Of course, halfway there we run into the Spring Equinox on March 20, 2025. The true Plumas 12 light 12 night timing is March 17th. You and the kids will see it coming. A perfect way to mark the passing of time and space and we spin and orbit through the solar system.

Constellations

On the star side of the sky, the three dominant Winter constellations - Orion, Taurus, and The Pleiades - should be known by every Mountain Kid. And they line up perfectly in the night sky. Right now they actually are led across the sky by Jupiter. This and the constant opportunity to track changes to the lunar phases and the meteor showers will keep you occupied for that night sky homework.

Winter Meteor Shower, Conjunctions & an Eclipse

• Quadrantid Meteor Shower: December 26 - January 16
  
• Venus Bright in the West all Winter
• Mars & Moon Conjunction: January 13
• Venus & Saturn Conjunction: January 17-18
• Spica and Moon Conjunction: February 1
• Jupiter & Moon Kissing Conjunction: February 14
• Venus Brightest of 2025: February 19
• Mars & Venus Conjunction: February 22
• Total "Blood Moon" Lunar Eclipse: March 14
• Spring Equinox: March 20

SnowSchool

While there is a wide variety of exploration of this amazing Winter phenomenon that I ask you to facilitate, we will punctuate it during our major monthly field trip. Prime your kids so that I am not the one to bring snow to their educational attention.

• January 15 - CES SnowSchool - Olsen Barn
• January 22 - QES SnowSchool - Johnsville Ski Hill
• January 23 - GES SnowSchool - Lassen Volcanic National Park
• January 29 - CRC SnowSchool - Lake Davis

FR Watershed Winter Trips

February:

• 5th - CES - Best Dam Field Trip
• 12th - CRC - Kids Peak
• 19th - QES - Town Reach
• 20th - GES - Town Reach

March:

• 12th - CRC - Kids Creek
• 19th - QES - Valley Reach
• 20th - GES - Valley Reach
• 26th - CES - NFFR Mouth

Email: rwade@pcoe.k12.ca.us
Website: https://www.pcoe.k12.ca.us/apps/pages/OutdoorCore
Location: Upper Feather River Region
Phone: 530 283-6500 - (5257)